After Late-Night Talks, Piyush Goyal Addresses Demands Raised by Protesting Farmers
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 19th Feb. A panel of Union ministers engaged in a fourth round of discussions with farmer leaders on Sunday to address their demands, particularly focusing on securing a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), while thousands of protesting farmers continued their encampment at the Punjab-Haryana border.
The meeting, convened at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26, saw the presence of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also participated in the deliberations, which commenced at 8:15 pm on Sunday and concluded around 1 am on Monday.
Following the discussions, Minister Goyal briefed reporters, outlining the panel’s proposal to address the farmers’ concerns. He revealed plans for government agencies to procure pulses, maize, and cotton crops at MSP rates for a five-year period after entering into agreements with farmers. “Cooperative societies like the NCCF and NAFED will enter into a contract with those farmers who grow ‘tur dal’, ‘urad dal’, ‘masoor dal’, or maize,” he added.
The proposal, aimed at safeguarding Punjab’s farming sector and enhancing groundwater levels, received cautious consideration from farmer leaders. Sarwan Singh Pandher, representing the farmers, conveyed that the proposal would be reviewed in their forums on February 19-20, with inputs from experts, to determine the next course of action.
Meanwhile, discussions on other demands, including loan waivers, remained pending. Mr. Pandher emphasized that the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march is currently paused but would resume on February 21 if outstanding issues persist.
The ongoing talks between the Union ministers and farmer leaders come amidst a backdrop of prolonged protests at the Punjab-Haryana border since February 13. The protests, organized by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, are rooted in demands ranging from MSP guarantees to justice for victims of past violence incidents.
In solidarity with the farmers, various actions have been initiated, including a decision to gherao the residences of BJP leaders in Punjab and protests at toll plazas in Punjab, continuing to exert pressure on authorities.
Moreover, internet services remain suspended in certain Punjab districts, including Patiala, Sangrur, and Fatehgarh Sahib, until February 24, as directed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The Haryana government has also extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts until February 19.
